Late Blog + Inspiration Blog

The Late Bit:

Our writing in class gig was fantastic. Before I took this class, the idea of writing with other people in silence never even occurred to me. I always thought writing was something solitary and broody, like something you'd do on a dark and stormy night while wearing a veil or something (bad joke!) Anyway, I really like this idea (the writing together idea). It helps get me passed a lot of things that get in the way with my writing:

1. Distractions: homework, computer, movies, music (I can't write while listening music usually... usually...)

2. My restlessness: One of the many reasons why I have trouble assigning myself a certain slot for writing is that I have an overabundance of energy and sitting down for a long time can be really hard. Being with a group of people, in a quiet, thoughtful atmosphere helps me concentrate! Like osmosis!

3. Support -the fact that I'm with a whole lot of other people who are also writers and are taking writing seriously really helps me realize that what I am doing is legitimate work that deserves recognition and respect! For example, if I am at school I always have this nagging feeling in the back of my mind that I have HOMEWORK to do -agh! So disruptive! Also, when I am at home my parents just barge into my room and disturb me any time they feel like it... because they are parents and they don't understand that I need to be left alone and for it to be quiet while I am WORKING!

Our class writing session made me realize that I need to develop a strong writing habit before graduation in order to insure my survival as a writer! Because once I am out of school I will not be around other writers and will be completely on my own -so I need to be prepared to be my own disciplinarian and not rely on other people alone to get me through writing. I've got to build up my confidence and determination!

I hope anyone else who feels this way will also work towards the same goal, because it's really important that none of us every give up, because too many people give up. Don't let yourself fall into a rut that you will only regret later (that is one of my worst fears!)

The On Time Bit:

I am not really that picky about what inspires me. I am very influenced by sensory things: like visual things (like light, especially the lights that come out of people's windows at night) and feel (like paper bags, the way they feel when you crumple them up in your hand) and taste (like the tangy taste of a coin in your mouth or the bitter taste of a rubber band or the taste of sand in dry air.) Many things inspire me, almost too many things; it can get a bit overwhelming.

I am inspired by colors (especially bright colors and gold), light; houses, the way people decorate their houses: what they do with their laundry, how messy or clean everything is, all of their mementos, family pictures, couch textiles, wallpaper, wall hangings, television sets; postcards (I love postcards), knick knacks, movies, music, sounds, sleeping, cinematography, photography; scraps of paper: left over wrapping, paper bags, receipts; plastic things (especially water bottles), stuffed animals, toys, empty tins, stamps...

Also, people -the weirder the better: assholes, people who curse in public, people who talk on cellphones in grocery store lines, drug addicts, religious fanatics, politicians, criminals, the depressed, the lonely, the invisible, people who don't sleep at night, people who look out of windows, prostitutes, forgotten children, talkers, smokers, walkers, nuns, homeless people, hoarders, agoraphobics, mean people, shouting people, rude people, reclusive people, people who cut themselves, people who cut others, murderers, elitists, art snobs, music snobs, fashion snobs, hip snobs, pretenders, fakers, liars...

I like the challenge they give me. It's hard to write about people who are so different from you that you barely have anything in common. It's hard to write about the "unfortunate" without being sappy or preachy. I don't do sappy. I don't do preachy.